Seven missing Nigerian soldiers in Darfur found
October 2, 2007 (ABUJA) — Seven of the 10 Nigerian soldiers who went missing on Saturday following an attack on their camp by rebels in Darfur, suddenly have been found alive.
Seven other Nigerian soldiers died in the attack.
President Umaru Yar’Adua has directed the Chief of defence Staff (CDS) General Owoye Azazi and the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Lt-General Luka Yusuf to proceed to Darfur on fact finding.
He also condemned the attack and did the Senate and the United States of America (USA).
The Senate demanded an explanation from the Sudanese authorities on the attack which claimed the lives of 33 other members of the African Union peacekeepers, while the US called for a probe of the incident.
The CDS and the COAS are expected to bring back home the remains of the dead soldiers for burial.
The seven missing soldiers were found hale and hearty in the vicinity of Haskanita by Nigerian soldiers of the AU who were deployed to …. for them.
Military sources told Vanguard that by the sheer number of the rebels that surrounded the AU camp, it would have been foolhardy for the soldiers to attack them which resulted in their leaders employing sychology.
However, the rebels who appeared blood thirsty and ….. with a pre-conceived agenda, opened fire on the soldiers forcing many of the AU soldiers to either take cover, escape or fight back. They were however, overpowered.
Sources said the mandate of the United Nations which makes it an offence for peacekeepers to attack nationals of countries they are protecting made it difficult for the peacekeepers to take initial defensive action before the rebels commended their camp.
The Director of Army Public Relations, Col. Solomon Giwa Amu said, “It is important to note that Nigerian troops numbering about 200 were overwhelmed by at least 2000 rebel troops. The Nigerian troops led the other AU forces to put up a courageous fighting retreat and sustained the casualities.”
Emphasizing that the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Yusuf has “applauded the professionalism and gallantry of the Nigerian troops who lost their lives and deeply regrets the losses sustained”, Giwa-Amu said, “following the attacks on the African Mission troops in Sudan, made up of Nigeria, Botswana, Mali and Senegal, in Haskanita, Sector 8, Darfur, We wish to confirm the status of our AU peacekeepers as 7 killed in action, 7 wounded while 3 are still missing”.
“The families of the deceased soldiers have been informed and every step is being taken to convey their remains back home for full military burial.
(Vanguard)